Helping ordinary people learn to study the Bible
My co-blogger Ryan has provided a very helpful explanation for why the Bible is not boring. Pastor Mitch Chase also recently wrote about 4 reasons you might think the Bible is boring. His reasons are:
Chase offers some excellent guidance for ways to pull out of each of these situations and find more delight in God’s word.
I like oatmeal. It’s a quick, healthy breakfast that’s reliably tasty. On a cool, fall morning, there aren’t many better ways to start the day.
anonymous (2014), public domain
But I can only eat so much oatmeal. After four or five days of the stuff, I long for variety. Eggs, toast, cereal—anything but the oatmeal.
You have probably experienced something similar outside the kitchen. You take an alternate route to work, embrace “casual Friday,” or ask your hair stylist for a change. Routines and patterns are helpful, but we occasionally long for a break.
Reading through certain books of the Bible can produce a similar effect. We see the same themes, the same lessons, the same exhortations. We wonder why God keeps hammering this one nail. Aren’t there other parts of the house that need work?
We’ve been studying Isaiah in my small group, and near the middle of the book I felt we were in a rut. Through Isaiah, God rebuked his people for their misplaced trust again and again. (Judah sought alliances with other nations instead of relying on God.) Just when I thought we’d move on, the same themes returned.
Isaiah isn’t the only Biblical book with repetition. How should we handle it? Should we skip ahead, or does God really want us discussing the same ideas and applications over and over?
God doesn’t make mistakes, so if you’re interpreting the Bible correctly and finding recurring themes, they are there on purpose. Here are some principles to consider when you find yourself in a repetitive section of Scripture.
Resist the pull toward novelty. Though we crave variety and newness, we shouldn’t avoid what is familiar and reliable. Consider the folly in adjusting our interpretation of the Bible simply because we’re tired of what it says! As we submit to God, we must submit to what he says in his word, even if we think we’ve heard it before.
Revisit the lesson. God may have you in this section of the Bible because there are lessons you still haven’t learned. You may think you’ve graduated, but you don’t have your diploma. As you walk this familiar territory, remember that God is your loving father. Your growth as a Christian is good for you, and he’s working to bring it about.
Explore all possible applications. If you find your applications of the Bible to be similar, they may need to be more specific. There are scores of ways to apply the main point of a passage. Consider the inward and outward directions along with the spheres of head, heart, and hands. Pray and ask God to connect this familiar lesson to areas of your life and influence that need correction.
Press on. If you find yourself facing recurring main points and applications, don’t give up. The fact that God is bringing the same issues to you again is evidence of his love (Rom 2:4). Persevere in the walk and fight of faith. (See Gal 6:9 and 2 Thess 3:13.)
Unlike oatmeal, studying the Bible is glorious. It’s one of the ways we “behold the glory of the Lord” and are transformed from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor 3:18). God shows us our need for a savior and his provision, in Jesus, of exactly what we need. He teaches us to rely on him and on nothing else.
We may be slow to learn, but God is patient. He doesn’t mind repeating himself, and we should thank him for it.
anonymous (2014), public domain
The Bible is boring. Many people outside the church take this as given. For them, reading the Bible is like watching C-SPAN or counting blades of grass.
But, let’s be honest—Christians feel this way at times. And we’re unlikely to study a book we don’t find interesting.
We need to consider some important questions.
No, the Bible is not boring. Let’s not confuse a bored reader with a boring book.
The Bible is God’s word. If God is the creator and sustainer of every atom that exists; if he is infinitely holy, good, wise, and glorious; if he is the very definition of love; then everything about him must be interesting.
If God’s word seems boring, there’s either a problem with the reading or the reader.
For some, the Bible seems dull because they assume they know what it says. They think they’ve heard all the stories and learned all the rules. Instead of “living and active,” the Bible sounds repetitive and bland.
For others, the Bible appears boring because they read the text without engaging with it. We are meant to meditate upon the Bible, to read it with the expectation that God will meet with and change us.
Additionally, the Bible feels irrelevant if we forget who we are. We are created and corrupt. We depend on God both for life and salvation. When we lose our sense of ongoing need, we won’t be thrilled by God or what he’s done for us.
First, we should acknowledge our need for God’s help. Even redeemed people need God’s Spirit to desire what is of supreme value. In other words, we should pray. (Read what John Piper suggests you pray when the Bible seems boring.)
Next, don’t confuse difficult with boring. The Bible is hard to understand in some places, but that doesn’t make it dull. In fact, like your backyard garden, Bible study is often most rewarding when it makes you sweat.
Further, not every Bible passage should be studied in the same way. A physics textbook is not a detective novel, and Proverbs is not Revelation. While you might spend several days looking carefully at the first ten verses of Ephesians 1, you won’t treat 1 Chronicles 1 the same way.
Some of the hardest parts of the Bible are the genealogies, the construction of the tabernacle, and the apportionment of the promised land to the tribes. Ask yourself, why did God include these chapters? What purpose do they serve? (This short article at Desiring God tackles Joshua 13–21 and the apportionment of the land.) We must do our best to read the Bible in context and seek the author’s intention in each passage.
Finally, when the Bible seems stale we might be tempted to import excitement. Maybe we’ll use a flashy study guide or dig around for some never-before-seen insight. If we chase ideas that are new or novel because we are afraid the Bible won’t hold our interest, we need to get back to the basics of Bible study.
Observe the text carefully. Ask questions, think about the author’s train of thought, and look for the main point. Connect the passage to the big story of the Bible, the gospel of Jesus Christ. And, with God’s help, apply the passage to yourself.
The goal of Bible study is the worship of God which spills over into all of life. As God transforms you, it might be uncomfortable, stretching, or disruptive. It will all be very good. But it certainly won’t be boring!
